Honor 90 Review: A Promising Comeback with a Few Hiccups
After an absence of more than three years, primarily due to the US-Huawei saga, Honor has made a triumphant return as an independent brand. It's gradually expanding its smartphone business, including into India, led by the former Realme Vice President, Madhav Seth. The first premium offering to go global is the Honor 90, a device I've been using daily for this review. To me, it feels like a fantastic midrange phone that gets many things right.
Honor 90 Review: Specifications
Design: 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8mm, 183 grams
Display: 6.7″ AMOLED, 10-bit, 120Hz refresh rate, 1600 nits peak brightness
Resolution: FHD+ (2664 x 1200 pixels), 19.98:9
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 “Accelerated” (4nm Mobile platform)
CPU: Octa-core
1×Cortex-A710 (2.5GHz)
3×Cortex-A710 (2.36GHz)
4×Cortex-A510 (1.8GHz)
GPU: Adreno 644
Memory: 12/16GB RAM, 256/512GB storage (non-expandable)
Software & UI: Android 13 with Honor MagicOS 7.1 on top
Rear Camera: Triple;
200MP primary, f/1.9
12MP ultrawide, f/2.2
2MP macro, f/2.4
Front Camera: 50MP (punch-hole)
Audio: Single speaker
Security: Fingerprint scanner (in-display)
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 5 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / BDS, USB-C port, 5G (NR)
Battery: 5000mAh, 66W wired charging
Colors: Midnight Black, Feather Blue, Diamond Silver, and Emerald Green
Price in Nepal: Rs. 58,990 (12/256GB) | Rs. 63,990 (12/512GB)
Honor 90 Review: Design
Measuring 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8mm and weighing 183 grams, the Honor 90 immediately captivates with its aesthetics. It evokes memories of Huawei's "Nova series" with its subtle curves, a distinctive circular camera housing, and a slim, lightweight build.
Despite its svelte design, Honor managed to incorporate a substantial 5000mAh battery – a noteworthy feat. I have the "Peacock Blue" variant, adorned with an appealing brushed matte finish, and there are other equally attractive color options available.
However, due to its ergonomic design and excellent grip, I initially opted not to use the clear case provided by Honor. Regrettably, this decision resulted in an accidental drop, leading to minor damage. It's worth noting that the absence of Gorilla Glass protection necessitates using a protective case, even though it diminishes the phone's tactile appeal.
Display
The Honor 90's display is undeniably one of its standout features. In fact, it's among the best in its class. The display has earned the prestigious "DXOMark Gold" certification, tying with the iPhone 14 Plus in DXOMark's ranking of the finest smartphone displays.
The specs speak for themselves: a 1.5K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color depth, a peak brightness of 1600 nits, and HDR10+ certification. This 6.7" AMOLED screen offers a truly flagship-level viewing experience.
Furthermore, the Honor 90 is the first smartphone to receive the "TÜV Rheinland Flicker-Free" certification, thanks to its exceptional 3,840Hz PWM dimming support. This technology eliminates the flickering often associated with low PWM frequencies, which can cause discomfort or headaches for some users. In contrast, other leading phones, such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max, exhibit lower PWM frequencies, making the Honor 90's display a notable standout.
Additionally, the Honor 90 incorporates a hardware-level blue light filter to protect users from prolonged exposure to harmful blue light.
For media consumption, the phone delivers excellent performance with no issues playing HDR content. However, the decision to opt for a single speaker on a midrange device is somewhat disappointing, necessitating the use of earbuds for an optimal audio experience during shows or movies.
Performance
Under the hood, the Honor 90 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 "Accelerated Edition" chip. While it may not be the newest or most potent processor in its price range, it handles everyday tasks with ease.
The "Accelerated Edition" designation indicates a slightly overclocked primary CPU core, offering smooth performance for regular usage. It excels in routine tasks without encountering lags, stutters, or overheating issues, although it may not be suitable for serious gaming.
Gaming enthusiasts can enjoy titles like PUBG and COD Mobile at a steady 60 fps, but the phone tends to warm up quickly. Playing Genshin Impact at medium graphics settings with 60 fps mode enabled occasionally results in frame drops.
Notably, Honor has been generous with memory configuration, offering 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM in the base variant. This ensures smooth multitasking and efficient RAM management.
Software and UI
Honor's MagicOS 7.1, based on Android 13, delivers an optimized user experience. However, official confirmation regarding software updates would be reassuring. While an Honor representative mentioned that the Honor 90 will receive updates up to Android 15, an official announcement would provide transparency for all users.
Camera
The Honor 90 boasts an impressive camera setup, featuring a 200MP primary sensor (the same as the Realme 11 Pro+), a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 2MP macro shooter, and a 50MP front camera.
Primary Camera: The primary camera captures excellent daytime photos with rich details and colors. However, the absence of optical image stabilization (OIS) occasionally hampers its ability to focus on moving subjects, affecting low-light photography.
Ultrawide Camera: The ultrawide camera performs admirably, maintaining color accuracy and detail. Autofocus support enhances macro photography.
Portrait Mode: Portrait shots exhibit excellent background blur, natural skin tones, and balanced contrast. The 2x portrait mode offers closer subject focus but minimal additional enhancements.
Selfie Camera: The Honor 90's selfie camera is a standout feature, delivering impressive results with accurate skin tones, dynamic range, and overall quality. Although there is some slight smoothening, the results are noteworthy.
Videography
The phone supports 4K 30 fps video recording from the primary, ultrawide, and selfie cameras. The absence of OIS slightly impacts video stability, but electronic image stabilization (EIS) compensates to some extent.
Battery and Charging
The 5000mAh battery provides satisfactory performance throughout a typical workday. However, battery optimization, especially at low levels, could be improved.
The inclusion of a 66W charger in the box allows for rapid charging, taking the phone from 0 to 100% in less than an hour.
Conclusion
In summary, the Honor 90 ticks many boxes for a well-rounded midrange smartphone. It excels not only in the usual aspects but also in crucial areas like network reception and call quality. Priced at under Rs. 60,000 in Nepal, it offers compelling value.
Beyond the device itself, the return of a capable brand to one of the world's largest smartphone markets is noteworthy. The future of the smartphone industry may be impacted by this development, and it's exciting to witness how it unfolds.
Pros:
Stylish Design
Flagship Display
Impressive Selfies
Cons:
Single Speaker
Uncertain Promised Updates
Lack of OIS for Camera